We're excited to announce the upcoming release of Proarc 7.5 Feature Pack 2. This new release focuses on full-text search across apps powered by Azure AI, moving files between revisions using drag/drop or shortcut keys, smarter planning tools, and more.
1. Smarter File Search with Azure AI
Poarc 7.5 Feature Pack 2 introduces Azure AI File Search, a major leap forward in how users search file contents across Proarc repositories. This new method supports full-text search across a wide range of file formats and delivers ranked results based on relevance, using term frequency and document length to surface the most meaningful matches; giving you faster access to the exact information you need.
For example, if you search for the term “inspection report”, Azure AI Search will prioritise documents where that phrase appears frequently and is central to the content, rather than buried in a long appendix or mentioned only once.
Figure 1: Smarter and more sophisticated file searches with Azure AI in Proarc
Advanced Query Syntax
The new file search in Proarc 7.5 Feature Pack 2 uses Lucene query syntax, enabling users to perform more powerful and precise searches. Here’s a breakdown of the advanced options available, along with examples to show how they work:
- Fuzzy Search helps find results even when there are minor typos or spelling variations
- Proximity Search finds words that appear close to each other in a document, even if not directly adjacent
- Regular expressions (regex) allow for pattern-based searches, ideal for structured data like codes or IDs
- Field-Specific Filtering lets you narrow your search by targeting specific fields such as repository or file name
Toggle and Transition
Users can toggle between Azure AI Search and legacy Windows Search. While both may return similar results, Azure AI Search ranks them by relevance, offering a more intuitive experience.
This toggle is especially useful during the transition period, allowing users to:
- Compare results if a file isn’t appearing as expected
- Troubleshoot indexing concerns
- Gradually adopt the new system at their own pace
Feedback
A built-in feedback button (powered by Microsoft Forms) allows users to share their experience. No personal data collected unless explicitly provided. It’s a direct way to report issues, suggest improvements, or highlight what’s working well without needing to contact support or leave the app.
Submissions are sent to a Microsoft Form configured by Ascertra staff during deployment. This ensures feedback is centralised, secure, and actionable. The feedback helps the product team identify patterns, prioritise enhancements, and fine-tune the search experience in future updates, making the system better for everyone.
Configuration
Admins can configure search settings such as:
- AzureAISearchEnabled - activates the toggle in the UI.
- MaxHits - sets result limits (default: 1000). Changing this will change the maximum number of files returned but will also affect the performance.
- FeedbackFormUrl - links to the feedback form used to give feedback to Ascertra.
Supported File Formats
Azure AI Search supports a wide range of formats including DOCX, PDF, XLSX, PPTX, XML, ZIP, JSON, and more.
2. Moving Files: Ease-of-Use Upgrades
Proarc 7.5 introduces flexible file movement between revisions and the document profile level, making it easier for teams to organise and collaborate on documents. Files can be moved using drag/drop, cut/paste shortcuts, or the shortcut menu, allowing users to quickly restructure document sets without needing admin support or complex workarounds.
Figures 2 & 3 : Copy and move files within a document profile through shortcuts
Moved files keep their history and relationships and may be renamed. This means users don’t lose audit trails or linked data when reorganising files, which is critical to maintain to ensure compliance and effective collaboration.
Proarc tracks the following moves:
- File Added / File Removed – when moved to/from a revision or profile
- File Moved – when moved between revisions
- Renamed – if the file name changes
3. Smarter Planning Tools
Proarc 7.5 now includes Status, File Count, and Document State columns in the Activity tab; giving planners instant visibility into document progress without needing to open each file.
Previously, planners managing hundreds of deliverables had to click into each document to check its status or file count. Now, they can save time by scanning and sorting directly in the planning grid, making it easier to track progress and manage workloads efficiently.
4. Publish Files Activity for External Integration
A new Publish Files activity type enables seamless integration with external systems. Instead of relying on email (with its file size limits), workflows can now automatically send selected files via API to external platforms such as customer portals, third-party document repositories like SharePoint, internal business systems like ERP or asset management tools, or the upcoming Proarc File Share Outbound solution.
Once the workflow reaches the Publish Files activity, it triggers an outgoing API request, which is configurable to suit any external application or website your team uses to share files.
This means Proarc customers can now build workflows that send files directly to clients or partners, without manual steps or email bottlenecks.
Learn More About Proarc 7.5 Feature Pack 2
We've highlighted key new features in Proarc 7.5 Feature Pack 2 including smarter search, streamlined file management, and enhanced planning and file sharing tools. If you’d like the full release notes that include all new features or guidance on enabling new features in your environment, contact our Support team today.
